Securing device for movable members

ABSTRACT

A securing device for latching two relatively movable members together comprising an elongated sleeve for fixed attachment to one of said members, a latch pin, spring-actuated to slide in one direction in said sleeve, which may be key-actuated to rotate in said sleeve, and having a hook-like radial terminal fin rotatable by the key to engage and disengage the other member to hold them in predetermined position. More specifically, the invention includes the combination of such a device in a merchandise container having a frame including a sill, a keeper thereon, a door hinged to the side of the frame, and a locking bar pivoted on the door and rotatable to enter the keeper, the securing device being mounted on the sill to engage the locking bar when in the keeper.

[ Aug. 2o, 1974 1 SECURING DEVICE FOR MOVABLE MEMBERS [75] Inventor:Dale L. Brindle, Chambersburg, Pa.

[73] Assignee: Hennessy Products Incorporated,

Chambersburg, Pa.

[22] Filed: Sept. 1, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 285,606

[52] US. Cl. 292/259, 292/62 [51] Int. Cl. E05c 19/18 [58] Field ofSearch 292/259, 57-62, 292/205; 70/128, 84, 137

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 184,501 l1/l876 Buckley292/62 X 1,639,661 8/1927 Newcomb 292/57 1,828,912 10/1931 Tobin et a1.292/259 1,907,625 5/1933 Vogt 70/128 X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS452,783 11/1948 Canada 292/205 Primary Examiner-.lames R. BolerAttorney, Agent, or Firm-Bedell and Burgess [5 7 ABSTRACT A securingdevice for latching two relatively movable members together comprisingan elongated sleeve for fixed attachment to one of said members, a latchpin, spring-actuated to slide in one direction in said sleeve, which maybe key-actuated to rotate in said sleeve, and having a hook-like radialterminal fin rotatable by the key to engage and disengage the othermember to hold them in predetermined position. More specifically, theinvention includes the combination of such a device in a merchandisecontainer having a frame including a sill, a keeper thereon, a doorhinged to the side of the frame, and a locking bar pivoted on the doorand rotatable to enter the keeper, the securing device being mounted onthe sill to engage the locking bar when in the keeper.

4 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures SECURING DEVICE FOR MOVABLE MEMBERS SUMMARYOF THE INVENTION The invention is particularly adaptable for use onrailway piggy-back containers or similar containers which includeupright doors at one end which swing into contact with each other andare held together by pivoted locking bars engaging keepers on thecontainer body. The bars are connected by a latch having the ordinarywire and lead car seal which is readily broken. The main object of theinvention is to provide a simple key-actuated device for locking thedoors together more securely and irrespective of the application andbreaking of the ordinary wire seal.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a view of the lower portionof the rear end of a merchandise container such as is in general use inpiggy-back service showing the application of the securing device to aswinging locking bar on the doors.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged elevation of the parts indicated by line 22 ofFIG. 1 showing the lower end of a door locking bar and a keeper on thecontainer frame to which the improved securing device is applied, butshown in open relation.

FIG. 3 corresponds to FIG. 2 but shows the device engaged.

FIG. 4 is a horizontal section on line 4-4 of FIG. 2 but drawn to alarger scale.

FIG. 5 is an exploded view showing the parts indicated in FIGS. 2, 3 and4.

FIG. 6 is a section on line 6-6 of FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The merchandise container shown in FIG. 1 includesan end sill 11, upright corner posts 12 to which doors 13 are hinged at14. Locking bars 15 are pivoted on doors 13 to swing between functioningpositions shown in FIG. 1 and released positions indicated by dottedlines 15a. Such a container and locking bar are shown in U.S. Pat. No.1,828,912 issued Oct. 27, 1931 and in an application Ser. No. 214,690filed Jan. 3, I972.

Keepers 16 are welded to sill 11 and each forms a Z- shaped pocket 17(FIG. 4) receiving the end of a locking bar 15 when the latter is swungto upright position. An open-end sleeve 20 is welded to each keeper 16.Latch pin 21 is slidably and rotatably mounted in sleeve 20 and has ahead 22 at one end engaged by a spring 23 seated in a recess in sleeve20 and tending to thrust the pin to the left. The opposite end of thepin has a radial fin 24 substantially thinner than the diameter of thepin and projecting laterally from the pin.

When locking bar 15 is swung to bring it into the keeper pocket as shownin FIGS. 1-3, a key 25 (FIG. 5) is inserted through pin head 22 and thepin is rotated to align its fin 24 with slots 26, 27 in the keeper andlocking bar, and the pin is pressed axially against the thrust of thespring to insert the right hand end of the pin within the locking bar,and rotate the pin to engage with the inner face of the locking bar asindicated at 28 (FIG. 3), thus preventing inclination of the locking baron the door. The key is removable and the door may be opened only byapplication of a similar key by a workman either at the initial locationof the container or at a remote destination.

The device is adapted for ready application for doors in many types ofcontainers. The shape of the pin and its mounting and the structure ofthe locking member may be varied substantially without departing fromthe spirit of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

I claim:

I. In combination, a merchandise container including a frame and a doormounted therein, a keeper on the frame forming a pocket opening parallelto the door when the latter is in close position and having a rear wallextending transversely of the frame, a locking bar movable on said doorand parallel thereto into said pocket for abutting engagement with saidkeeper wall, a latch pin rotatable and slidable in said keeper andhaving a hook-shaped terminal, said keeper wall and said locking barhaving aligned slots adapted to receive said terminal when said bar isin said pocket, said latch pin being insertible through said slots whensaid pin is in a predetermined angular position in said sleeve andengageable with said locking bar to prevent withdrawal therefrom whenrotated from said angular position, and a detachable key fitting in saidlatch pin for rotating the same.

2. In combination, a merchandise container having a frame with a door, akeeper on said frame with a pocket flange parallel to and spaced fromsaid frame and a rear wall transverse of said frame, a hollow lockingbar movable on said door to shift parallel thereto into and out ofposition behind said keeper flange wherein its surface abuttinglyengages said rear Wall, and means for securing said locking bar in saidkeeper comprising an elongated sleeve with one end attached to saidkeeper, a locking pin slidable lengthwise and rotatable in said sleeveand having a head at its outer end and a lateral fin at its inner end,said pin and fin being insertible through aligned apertures in saidkeeper wall and a wall of said locking bar and rotatable therein toengage an inner face of said wall, and a removable key for rotating saidpin fin into and out of bar-engaging position, and a detachable keyfitting in the head of said pin for rotating said pin to register saidfin with said apertures.

3. A combination as described in claim 2 in which the latch pin has ahead at the end opposite the hookshaped terminal, there being a springseated in the keeper with its outer end engaging said head and thrustingthe pin out of the locking bar and said terminal and slots are aligned.

4. A combination as described in claim 3 in which the securing pin andspring are assembled with a selfcontained sleeve and comprisingtherewith a selfcontained unit applicable to the exterior of the keeper.

1. In combination, a merchandise container including a frame and a doormounted therein, a keeper on the frame forming a pocket opening parallelto the door when the latter is in close position and having a rear wallextending transversely of the frame, a locking bar movable on said doorand parallel thereto into said pocket for abutting engagement with saidkeeper wall, a latch pin rotatable and slidable in said keeper andhaving a hook-shaped terminal, said keeper wall and said locking barhaving aligned slots adapted to receive said terminal when said bar isin said pocket, said latch pin being insertible through said slots whensaid pin is in a predetermined angular position in said sleeve andengageable with said locking bar to prevent withdrawal therefrom whenrotated from said angular position, and a detachable key fitting in saidlatch pin for rotating the same.
 2. In combination, a merchandisecontainer having a frame with a door, a keeper on said frame with apocket flange parallel to and spaced from said frame and a rear walltransverse of said frame, a hollow locking bar movable on said door toshift parallel thereto into and out of position behind said keeperflange wherein its surface abuttingly engages said rear wall, and meansfor securing said locking bar in said keeper comprising an elongatedsleeve with one end attached to said keeper, a locking pin slidablelengthwise and rotatable in said sleeve and having a head at its outerend and a lateral fin at its inner end, said pin and fin beinginsertible through aligned apertures in said keeper wall and a wall ofsaid locking bar and rotatable therein to engage an inner face of saidwall, and a removable key for rotating said pin fin into and out ofbar-engaging position, and a detachable key fitting in the head of saidpin for rotating said pin to register said fin with said apertures.
 3. Acombination as described in claim 2 in which the latch pin has a head atthe end opposite the hook-shaped terminal, there being a spring seatedin the keeper with its outer end engaging said head and thrusting thepin out of the locking bar and said terminal and slots are aligned.
 4. Acombination as described in claim 3 in which the securing pin and springare assembled with a self-contained sleeve and comprising therewith aself-contained unit applicable to the exterior of the keeper.